8 Things to Expect From ‘TWD’ Season 10, Based on the Comics (PHOTOS)
DON’T: Toning everything down
There’s little doubt that the theatrical release of the movies is meant to bring in viewers who haven’t yet boarded the TWD train (although if you haven’t boarded 10+ seasons in, maybe it’s not heading in a destination to which you want to travel). With those new viewers comes worry about the rating: would a PG-13 rating mean toned down violence and less scary walkers? One of the best things about TWD has always been how realistic the zombies look, and even though it can be disgusting, the gore adds to the realism. Fans would be disappointed to see those aspects of the show minimized in hopes of bringing in a different audience.
Release the Negan!
In the comics, Negan eventually gets released from his cell in order to deal with the Whisperers. This is in part due to the actions of Brandon Rose, who breaks Negan out in order to lead him to the Whisperers and get revenge on Rick (in the comics, Brandon wants revenge because his mother was one of the ones “piked” by Alpha, and he blames Alexandria’s leadership). This goes sideways for Brandon, whom Negan kills before he heads toward the Whisperers camp. Which leads us to…
Beta vs. Negan
There’s a fair amount of friction between Beta and Negan as a result of Negan’s “connection” with Alpha. As Negan infiltrates the Whisperers’ camp, he angles himself to be close to Alpha. She doesn’t suspect his motives, but Beta, who is used to being Alpha’s second-in-command, greatly dislikes Negan and the camaraderie he builds with her.
Alpha’s Demise
This might not happen the same way in the show, since it seems Carol (and/or Ezekiel) is being primed to take down the Whisperers’ leader. But, at least in the source material, Negan is the one by whom Alpha meets her end. After having an emotional conversation about loss during which Alpha admits she misses Lydia and invites Negan to formally join the Whisperers, Negan slashes her throat and decapitates her. He then brings her head to Rick.
Father Gabriel’s Death
The show has very rarely given TV characters the same deaths as their comic book counterparts, so it’s probable that if this death even happens, it won’t happen to Gabe. Nonetheless, in the comics, Gabe dies when he falls from a water tower where he was keeping watch. He breaks his ankle, and then is killed by Beta… and then is devoured by the Whisperers’ horde. The show has already done something similar with Eugene falling from a water tower last season, so this death might not even happen.
A Bigger Role for Beta
In the aftermath of Alpha’s death, Beta takes over as the leader of the Whisperers. He leads their gigantic horde toward Alexandria but is nearly killed by Negan (in the process, Negan destroys his beloved Lucille). The attempt to destroy Alexandria fails and the community leads the walkers into the ocean—then, days afterward, Beta is killed by Jesus and Aaron, who stumble upon him on the road.
Rosita’s Death(?)
This isn’t fully comics speculation, but rather a prediction driven by the fact that Christian Serratos has been cast in a movie role at the same time the show is filming… and a very specific death scenario from the source material that never happened on the show. In the comics, Lori dies at the prison with Judith, as they are both gunned down by the governor during his attack. Who currently on the show has a baby, not much older than Judith was in the comics at the time of this tragic event? Rosita, and Coco. Uh-oh.
Princess and The Commonwealth
With the recent news that the show cast Paola Lazaro as Princess, it seems likely we’ll be getting to The Commonwealth this season, and the Whisperer War will probably wrap up completely by episode 16. On their trip to the Commonwealth, a thriving community in Ohio with electricity, thousands of people and even concerts, Michonne and her people run into Princess. She accompanies them to the Commonwealth and eventually joins the group.
Another Huge Death
Going back to the Whisperer War for a moment, the whole conflict ends with a death of gigantic proportions. During the process of leading the walkers away from Alexandria, Andrea—who is the comic series’ equivalent of Michonne, on the show—is bitten. This devastates Rick and the entire Alexandrian community, who say goodbye to her in an emotional series of conversations. It seems likely that if this death happens, it’ll happen this season, since the Whisperer War is almost certain to end before Episode 16.
Who might get this beautifully tragic comics moment? The obvious poor unfortunate soul is Danai Gurira’s Michonne, who will be exiting the series one way or another before Season 10 ends. It seems likely she’ll survive, though: Would the show really kill off such an iconic character? This death could also go to Ezekiel, who has already shown his willingness to sacrifice himself for others, and his death might push Michonne to leave the communities much like she does in the comics.
[WARNING: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for The Walking Dead comics, especially the Whisperer War arc]
The Walking Dead comic series is over, but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer relevant… especially for fans of the TV show.
Though AMC program has never been a perfect adaptation of the source material, the comics can provide insight on character introductions and deaths, major events to look forward to, and even certain pairings that might happen.
Based on the comic books, here are eight things you might be seeing in Season 10 of The Walking Dead.
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